Monoxide · 11:20pm Oct 30th, 2021
I hope you're doing well. I'm still here, alive. Don't be alone this Nightmare Night: be with good company.
I've placed a story below.
I didn't want to post this as its own story, or in the compilation itself. It's not the kind of thing I want to write, or advertise, and it's not a style I'm used to. But with how drained I feel these days, the most I can dredge up without being a complete attention-seeking prick is, well, this. And even then, I wrote this in February, so it's fairly clear that things haven't gotten much better. Forgive the 'edge' I've spat and continue to spew: I'm just looking for ways to share happiness while I watch the days go by, and feel more lost than ever. I won't ramble any further; you matter more to me.
Be reading. Be writing. Be living. Be well. Happy Nightmare Night.
Monoxide
Amber Fossil was a golden unicorn whoâlike many poniesâenjoyed her mane and tail well-kept. Unlike many ponies, she also liked her mane and tail well-braided. The ponies she cohabited with werenât practiced with the art, and so she'd more often than not have to spend time tensed up in front of a mirror. On Earth, however, she had a prized luxury: Jared. Her fellow creature of habit was a man with a strange obsession for all things Equestrian, but he knew his way around a braid. No matter what Jared had planned for his days, he was always ready to drop everything to braid her orange mane and tail.
It was for this reason that Amber wasn't all too miffed when Jared missed their ritual; instead of joining her at their usual spot on the couch, heâd been in the garage all Sunday morning. She hated the smell of the often-used workshop within, and did her best to avoid it. So Amber forwent her Sunday braids, and snuggled into the couch with the latest assigned reading from her university. After all, housemates could get loud, and she wasnât going to be the one to start a fuss.
Her ear cocked at a sound from the garage. Sheâd been hearing Jared shifting around in there and mostly tuned it out, but she recognized the sound as one of a car door. Amber waited for the rumble of the garage door as it lifted up and out of the way, and for the ignition to bring Jared's car roaring to life.
She heard no door, but the garage roared.
Then, the engine choked, and the garage went quiet.
A few seconds later, it roared again.
Amber, shifting uneasily, almost moved from her comfy spot on the couch. Instead, she turned her head to face toward the garage. The door was still closed, and the engine beyond rumbled. As the moment turned to seconds, Amberâs face creased into one of worry. The garage door held its tongue while the engine bickered on. She licked her lips and called out. âJared?â She waited. She knew that he wouldnât hear her, but sheâd hoped that he would.
Now, Amber stood. She trot swiftly over to the door. âJared? Are you okay?â she tried again. Pressing an ear to the door to listen, she waited. All she could hear was the rumbling of the engine. She tried the door handle with her telekinesis.
Locked.
Amberâs eyes shrank. âJared,â she whinnied worriedly, âwhat are you doing in there?â She banged on the door with a hoof to no reply.
She scrambled to the kitchen. She pulled a drawer open with a harsh yank of magic, and levitated out the spare house key. She galloped back to the garageâs side door. Her focus wavered as she levitated the shaking key into place. It turned with no problem. With the door unlocked, she tried the handle once more, pulling the door inward. It swung easily.
Amber was greeted with a wall of red.
The back of Jaredâs rolling toolbox prevented her from seeing into the garage. âJared!â she cried. The carâs exhaust popped. Amberâs heart beat a feverish cacophony to the steady report of the idling engine.
She scrambled backwards against the hardwood floor, kicking the floor mat away in the process. With a running start, she shouldered her way into the cool face of the toolbox. She lit her horn; she added her telekinetic strength to her efforts. The heavy toolbox squeaked across the floor as she fought its brakes. Flooding: tears of pain and worry forced themselves from her. Her whimpers spoke along the violent crescendo of the roaring engine. She cracked an eye open, and saw a gap almost large enough for her to squeeze between the wall and the toolbox. She found her way through with a heave, and a short, grinding screech.
âJARED!â Amber screamed.
Bleary eyed, she mustered all her focus into looking at the car. In the driverâs seat, the man sat still; his head was tilted up at the underside of the carâs roof, eyes shut. Amber flung the passenger door open with a burst of her magic. The handle of the door crashed back into place. Jared jolted, his hands shooting to the steering wheel. His eyes found hers, and his mouth opened. With her horn still lit, Amber wrapped her magic around the key plugged into the ignition. A sharp turn and pull killed the rushing sound in the garage. The key chain shot through the passenger-side past Amber, and flung further toward the still-closed garage door. It clattered noisily against the floor.
Amber sucked in a sharp breath as her hooves rested on the edge of the car's passenger-side. She coughed, squeezing her eyes shut. Her ears twitched as she heard the sound of weight shifting over taut leather. âJared,â she cried, forcing her eyes open, âplease don'tâŚâ
She saw him clamber between the car seats, edging toward her. âAmber, I⌠Iâm so sorry. I didnât evenâŚâ As Amber began to hack again, she pushed away from the car and collapsed to the concrete floor.
There was a click, and daylight warmed her.
The garage door hummed open.
She opened her eyes just in time to see Jared lowering his arm from the driver-side visor. He ducked out through the passenger-side of the car, picking her up as he went. He fiercely kicked the toolbox aside, stomping his way into the living room.
Even as they sat together on the couch, he refused to speak up. There was so much that Amber wanted to hear him say. She knew she could force words out, but she didnât want to. Jared was stubborn, but through his teachings to Amber, she knew exactly what to say to cool his nerves; it was her time to teach him about a world she loved. A world worth living in. A world that didnât preclude him. At that moment, what he needed most was to hear her. She would help, no matter how long it took for the wounds of the past to heal over.
So she talked. Jared had always been the quiet sort, but Amber knew how to calm his mind, and she was ever patient.
It was long past sunset when Jared told her he was ready to talk about the world he saw.
She smiled, and she listened.
He was going to be okay.
...Oof. <3